Autumn
Under the influence of michael, archangel of tiphareth
September 22nd 2014
Autumn is placed under the influence of Michael, the archangel of the Sun in the sephirah Tiphareth. His name means ‘Who is like God?’ In fact, a tradition tells how when Lucifer, in his arrogance, claimed that he was the equal of God, this archangel rose up before him and cried, ‘Who is like God?’ And from then on that was his name.
So, each year, on 22 September, the Sun enters the constellation of Libra. There are numerous paintings and icons representing the archangel Michael, with a set of scales in his hand, weighing the actions of humans who have died. Their good actions are in one pan, their bad ones in another, and he is waiting to see which ones will prevail. The scales are the instrument of judgment, and in a way autumn itself is the season of judgment: the ripe fruits are collected and sorted, and only the good ones are kept.
This work of separation and of sorting that takes place in nature is also mentioned by Hermes Trismegistus in the Emerald Tablet, when he says, ‘You will separate the subtle from the gross with great industry’, meaning ‘with great care’. To separate the subtle from the gross means to separate the spiritual from the material. Initiates participate with their spirit in the work of the whole of nature, and they know when the time has come to let what remains of the dark matter inside them die, in order to liberate true life.